New Fires Sparked In Southern California; Evacuations Ordered For Blaze Near San Diego
Dry, windy conditions have forced thousands to evacuate over the past few days in the Los Angeles area, and overnight, a new fire forced people to flee in San Diego County.
Officials issued evacuation orders for residents near the Otay Wilderness Area southeast of San Diego as the so-called Border 2 Fire grew rapidly. The blaze has burned more than 1 square mile and is 0% contained.
Fires Grow Near Los Angeles
In the Los Angeles area, the Hughes Fire is now 36% contained after burning more than 16 square miles in the mountains north of Los Angeles. Some 50,000 people were under evacuation orders and warnings Wednesday due to the blaze, but by Thursday morning, Ventura County announced changes to those evacuation warnings which can be found here.
The fire, which broke out Wednesday morning, was burning near Lake Castaic, about 40 miles from where the Eaton and Palisades fires continue to burn.
Authorities warned Wednesday of an “immediate threat to life” in evacuated areas.
Flames from a California wildfire burn next to a road
The Sepulveda Fire broke out late Wednesday in Sepulveda Pass in Bel Air on the eastern side of the 405 Freeway.
Multiple fire engines responded to the scene, and helicopters dropped water on the blaze using water from the nearby Stone Canyon Reservoir, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Parts of Bel Air and Brentwood were under an evacuation warning, including Saint Mary’s University. The evacuations were later lifted once firefighters halted the progression of the blaze.
The fire has burned 45 acres but is 60% contained, according to the latest information from Cal Fire.
Thursday morning in Ventura County, a new wildfire was sparked near the campus of California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo. The so-called Laguna Fire forced the evacuation of the campus; some 7,000 students are enrolled there, according to the Associated Press.
Firefighters were working to contain the blaze in the hills above the campus, the report added.
Strong Santa Ana winds were present on Thursday, but they were expected to decrease Friday into the weekend, which will make conditions more favorable to fight the fires.
The fires follow two catastrophic blazes that broke out Jan. 7 about 40 miles south in and around Los Angeles. The Eaton Fire scorched about 22 square miles and is 95% contained. The Palisades Fire burned more than 36 square miles and is 70% contained. The two fires are estimated to have destroyed more than 15,000 homes and other structures and are now the second and third most destructive fires on record in California.
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Weather.com staff writer Jan Childs covers breaking news and features related to weather, space, climate change, the environment and everything in between.
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